Shards Of Glass
by TCAnimorph
Summary: Jeremy just wanted to finish the game, but Yulia has other plans for him. Character insert, NOT self-insert, T rating mostly based on swearing and fighting. Of which there will be enough that you shouldn't read this to 8-year-olds.
1. Fragile Glass

omg another Tales Of The Abyss fanfic from me.

This story is similar to a self insert- person somehow ends up in Auldrant and stuff. Except that instead of the character being an Author Avatar, it's one of my RP characters. I hope you guys read it and find it at least worth some time!

Main Character Profile:

Jeremy is a 19-year-old young man. He's fairly tall, but not extremely so, and is a bit of a reclusive nerd. He's the primary caretaker of his younger cousin Luci, who he treats more like a sibling than a cousin. He has slightly shaggy blond hair, and has very light freckles. He's known among his friends for generally being very logical and calm, though he has a big soft side for kids.

* * *

My name is Jeremy. You're not getting my last name out of me. I'm a somewhat tall but otherwise unassuming guy, and when the story I'm about to tell you began, I wore glasses. I don't anymore, you'll find out why.

It was a bright and sunny day, the kind of day where you'd never expect this kind of thing to happen. I had just bought myself a new video game with my saved allowance- a copy of Tales Of The Abyss. I had rented it a long time ago and never finished it. When I got home, I immediately went over to my trusty PS2, the faithful machine hooked up to an old but fuctional TV.

"You haven't seen this game in a while, huh?" I said to the PS2 as I opened it up and brushed dust out of the disc drive. I carefully set the CD in, closed up my machine, and gently pressed the power button.

That was when things went wrong.

A powerful electric shock coursed through me from pressing the button, and everything went black, my legs failed me, and I collapsed.

It was a little while before I woke up, and when I did I was greeted with the scent of slightly salty air and the feeling of soft grass underneath me.

"Are you alright?" I heard someone ask me. I opened my eyes, and bright sunlight shone all around. A man in a very plain outfit was kneeling over me, looking concerned.

"...Where am I? What happened?" I asked, sitting up.

"You're just outside of Daath, near the fourth monument. I found you in the grass... Are you hurt?" the man said. Those places sounded familiar... but I ignored the feeling that something was very wrong.

"I'm not hurt. Thanks anyways," I said. The man moved away, and I stood up. I wasn't sure what had happened while I was out, but I figured I should try to figure it out.

"Take care, alright?" the man said before walking away. I started to look around. There were lots of trees, and a neat-looking tall statue with odd letters on it that I couldn't read. And looking down the tall hill I was at the top of, I could see a small city with a huge cathedral in the center. It looked incredibly familiar, though I couldn't place where I'd seen it. I shrugged and started towards the city. It seemed like as good a place as any to go.

The cathedral city was a short walk, and before long I had reached the outskirts of it. The sun was high in the sky, and some strange gleaming crystals were visible drifting high overhead. It was a strange sky, and it bothered me. There were people about, dressed in varying but simple outfits, and oddly enough there were people with green and pink hair, even small children. I received a few glances in my plain light blue turtleneck shirt, and I wasn't sure if that was good or not.

I'm not sure why, even now, but a small place that seemed to be serving food and selling traveling supplies caught my eye. I walked over to it, and stepped inside.

Inside, a short boy with dark green hair was causing a commotion. A yellow mask with fierce-looking red designs hid his face, and his thin but well-muscled body was adorned with a black and green outfit with a trailing strap on each arm. I finally realized what was going on. That boy was Sync, a character from that game... Daath had sounded familiar because it was a city in the game. More important than my shock at realizing I had somehow been transported to that world, though, was the fact that Sync was very intoxicated. Which, of course, means he was drunk. I stared, wondering if they had a legal drinking age here and if he was alone. The second question was answered when I noticed an exasperated Legretta sigh and press her palm against her forehead as Sync kicked over a random couple's table.

"You people are all the same! You all hate me and anyone like me! I hate you and you should all die!" he yelled, the fact that he was drunk showing clearly in his tone.

I could hear Legretta moan, "I shouldn't have let him try my drink." I started to back away into the door, when Sync noticed me. He walked over, and stared up at me from behind his mask.

"...You hate me too, don't you?" he growled, before suddenly lashing out and striking me in the face. My glasses shattered, and I staggered back with a cry of pain, lifting a hand to my face. My sight had suddenly gone blurry, red, and oddly dark, and it hurt as much as when I had gotten my wisdom teeth removed and the painkillers didn't work. I had the sickening feeling that if I didn't say something, the short but very dangerous boy would hit me again.

"I know what you are, and I don't hate you for it," I said, and the words were clear despite my voice coming out in a hurt, scared whimper. I stepped backwards again, and my back met the wall. I didn't see Sync move closer, but I felt his hand on my throat and the tip of his mask brush my chin.

"Say that again, and if you're lying, I will kill you right now," he hissed. I shivered, and mentally prepared myself in case he decided I was lying.

"I know what you are, and I don't hate you..." I managed to say, finding it hard to speak between how scared I was and the burning pain. I felt a trickle of warm liquid run down my face, and numbly realized that I was bleeding.

Sync's reaction was not what I had expected. There was a moment of nothing, he pulled his hand away from my neck, and there was another moment of nothing. Then, instead of another painful blow, I found myself suddenly pulled into a tight, almost desperate hug.

"Dear Yulia, I'm so sorry I didn't believe you, I'm so sorry I hurt you... Please, please forgive me, don't hate me... don't hate me..." Sync sobbed. He had started to cry into my shoulder.

"Sync, I think you need to drink some water and take a nap," I heard Legretta cut in, her voice clear and sounding like she was close by. She tried to pull Sync away from me, but he refused to let go.

"Legretta, please make him better..." Sync said, lifting his head off my shoulder. He was still drunk, there was no question, but I was lucky that his emotions had changed so much.

"...Fine. You, come with us. I'll take you to a healer," she said, the last part directed at me. I didn't have a choice, I soon found, as Sync let go of me and promptly passed out and Legretta started to lead me off by the hand, carrying Sync with her other arm. I was lost, confused, and still in pain, and I blindly stumbled after Legretta, unable to see more than faint darker patches in the red blur clouding my vision. I was too focused on not falling to understand my situation. Eventually, as I was starting to get dizzy and the blood on my face was starting to feel sticky, we reached a staircase. Only two steps up, I tripped and fell forwards, and when I tried to get up, the pain shooting through my head was too much and I couldn't coordinate my movements enough to get up. I could only lay there and listen as Legretta cursed.

"Legretta, I see you have a handsome man on each arm," an amused voice chuckled. I didn't recognize it at the time, but later I found out that it was Dist.

"Sync got drunk. He wanted to know what my drink tasted like," Legretta said in a flat, unamused tone. "Be useful and take him inside, I'm dealing with this kid he beat up." Legretta passed Sync off to Dist, and then I felt myself being picked up and carried. The next few hours were lost to my memory as a mess of being carried about, being poked at, being moved more, more prodding, and finally falling completely unconscious.

When at last I woke up, my head still felt like it was spinning, though I could no longer feel blood on my face and the sharp pain was gone. I didn't try to sit up, though I did look around. At first, I was confused by the way my surroundings were an indistinguishable blur of brown and patches of blackness. I sat up, and the blurriness refused to improve.

"Um... You're awake... Sync wanted me to get him when you woke up... Please don't move," a soft and childlike girl's voice with a distant sad tone said, and I heard the sound of rubber soles squeaking on a smooth floor, with the click of an animal's claws following it away. I had some time to think about my situation. I was in the world that Tales Of The Abyss takes place in. My glasses were broken and I was quite possibly blinded entirely, and I had been helped by Legretta, one of the God-Generals. I remembered enough about the game to realize that they were the enemies of the main party, and that the little girl I had just heard was probably Arietta. I decided that my situation was overall bad, and I would have to think carefully if I wanted to live. I knew it was no dream- if it was, I'd be awake by then.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of light, quick footsteps that entered the room and stopped near me.

"Hey. You alright?" a voice that was unmistakeably Sync said. I was stunned to hear him express concern now that he was no longer influenced by alcohol. It must have showed on my face, because he snapped, "Oh, don't look so surprised! You and Arietta are the only ones who don't hate me for being a replica, and with her it's because she doesn't know! Of course I'd make it my business to know if you're alright."

"Well, I'd like to say I'm okay, but I'm not sure. I can't see anything, and while things are usually blurry without my glasses, this is really bad," I quickly answered, hoping that he was telling the truth about actually being concerned. I could hear him shift slightly as if uncomfortable.

"About that... Legretta got you to the healers just fine, but they couldn't fix your eyes. You probably won't be able to see. Ever. But, but! I made you something to replace your eyes," Sync said.

Now that was surprising to me. I had no idea Sync would do that, as he had always come across as terribly cold and hateful when I played the game.

"What is it?" I asked, hoping it would really work. If it didn't, I'd have to panic over losing my sight.

"Close your eyes and hold still," he said, and I got the impression of Sync giving a shaky but eager grin. I obeyed, closing my eyes, and the faintly colored blur turned to all black. His fingers brushed against my eyelids, causing a strange tingling, and it was followed by some kind of cloth being tied around my head and covering my eyes.

The effect was instantaneous- I could suddenly see, though the image felt oddly detached and grainy. I could see that I was in a room with light brown walls and attractive architecture, and Sync was standing in front of me, though he had taken off his coat. The two metallic circles that were a prominent feature on his outfit were still there, though.

"Oh, wow, I can see! What did you do?" I asked, lifting my hand to touch my eyes. I felt smooth cloth, and it seemed as if he had tied a blindfold on me.

"It's a Daathic fonic arte. I basically enchanted the design on the blindfold to act as eyes for you," he said, sounding proud of himself. "If you need to sleep, just slip it down around your neck and pull it back up when you wake up. I did the same thing to my mask so I can see." It certainly sounded clever enough, and made sense as to how he saw with that thing on.

"While I can't say I'm too happy about this, since it was you who damaged my eyes in the first place, I do appreciate that you fixed it for me... Thanks, Sync," I said, managing to force a smile. He didn't seem to realize that it wasn't sincere.

"So... You really know what I am, huh?" he said.

"Fifth replica of Fon Master Ion, right? It's been a while, I might have gotten the number mixed up," I said, hoping I remembered correctly.

"That's right. I... Everyone who knows hates me. It feels so weird, to have someone know and not hate me for it. If you decide you hate me because I made you blind, that's okay. But if you don't, I'll do anything you want for you if you'll stay and you'll let me talk to you," Sync said. He certainly sounded sincere... It was strange, and I didn't know if I really could trust him. But I had nothing better to go on.

"I'll forgive you for what you did to my eyes. After all, you were drunk," I said. My real reasoning was different, of course, but Sync seemed satisfied with the reason I gave.

"Thank you, um... What is your name, anyways?" he asked.

"Jeremy. I'm Jeremy," I said.

When my headache faded, Sync took it upon himself to give me a tour. We were in the Daath Cathedral, deep in the building's inner chambers. I had never known where Sync lived, but it turned out that he lived in the Oracle Headquarters underneath the cathedral. His personal room was small, and its location suggested that it used to be a holding cell. His choice of decoration was a bit odd- the room was decked out mainly in blankets that were likely stolen and stacks of books, his bed consisting of an old cot buried under the softest and most colorful of his blanket collection.

"Um, Sync..." I started. The masked replica looked over at me and tilted his head slightly. "You're the top God-General, right? Why is your room tiny, weird, and next to the prison?" I almost added, "and why is it full of blankets," but I didn't want to offend him.

"Because everyone hates me. They don't like me enough to give me a bigger room. This is where they kept me when I was first created, and even though they handed the keys over to me, I've never had another room that belongs to me," Sync stated. He didn't sound sad, more like he was just telling a fact. It made me a bit sad. Even if he was a dangerous person, he didn't deserve this. "Jeremy, where are you staying?"

I glanced away. Since I had just appeared here out of nowhere, I had nowhere to stay. I didn't have money, or even another change of clothes.

"I... don't have anywhere. I used to have a nice home, but I was... Forced out, shall I say?" I said.

"Oh." Sync's expression was hidden behind his mask as he stared at me. "...If you want, you can stay here. I don't have another bed, but I can make you a pile," he said after a minute. I was being more surprised by his kindness towards me with each minute. I wasn't too thrilled with the prospect of sharing a tiny room with someone who had threatened to kill me just earlier that day, but I didn't know where I would go if I turned down his offer. At least this was shelter.

"Sure, Sync, I'd like that. Just until I find myself a place, though," I said. "Can we finish the tour now?" Sync responded with enthusiasm, and showed me around. The place was huge and confusing, but Sync taught me a trick to get back to the main cathedral hall. After a bit, he had to report for training, leaving me by myself. I decided to do some investigating and figure out when this was- if the events of the game were underway or yet to occur. Sync's presence meant it couldn't be past the game's events.

It took me a few tries of wandering through halls marked with luminous arches, but eventually I was able to find my way to the Fon Master's quarters. I had always liked Ion- or to be more accurate, replica number seven- and so I figured finding out from his presence or possible lack thereof would be both an easy way and a nice one. I knocked lightly on the door.

"Hi, who is it?" a curious but optimistic voice called from the other side of the door.

"A potential friend. Name's Jeremy," I said in response. There was a pause, and the door opened. I was greeted by a boy Sync's height with the exact same dark green hair, though his was neatly brushed into a rather feminine style. He wasn't wearing his full uniform, just a long tunic and high socks. He looked up at me with a smile.

"I didn't know there was someone new here. Would you like to come in and have some tea?" Ion asked. I nodded, and he moved aside to let me in. As I passed him, he looked at the blindfold on my face, and tilted his head. "...Also, you'll have to tell me where you got that." There was a small, comfortable seating area with a small table, and he sat across from me. There was already a tea set on the table.

"So, Jeremy. That blindfold you're wearing is enchanted with a Daathic fonic arte. But only a Fon Master can do that, and I know it wasn't me. Who did that for you?" Ion asked, sounding oddly serious. I figured there was no harm in telling him.

"It was Sync. He kind of made me practically blind, so he gave me this to make up for it," I said, gesturing to the fabric at the word "this." Ion tilted his head to the side, looking puzzled.

"Sync? But he... Oh... Oh dear Yulia," he muttered, going from puzzled to shocked. He quickly shook it off and looked back up at me with a clearly forced smile. "Thanks, Jeremy. That information is really helpful. Where did you come from, by the way? I'd like to hear your story."

I wasn't sure how well Ion would take knowing I was from another world. I pondered whether or not to lie to him as he poured two cups of tea, offering me one. Finally, I decided that if there was anyone I could trust, it was him.

"I'm... not from around here. Actually, I'm not even from your world. It sounds a little crazy, I know, but I just got transported here all of a sudden and I'm not even sure how or why," I said, hoping that I looked and sounded serious. I must have, because once again the young Fon Master looked stunned.

"Another world? Wow... That's amazing! You have to tell me about your world, please!" he said, expression attentive and interested.

I took a sip of my hot tea before starting to oblige his request. I told him about cars, airplanes, skyscrapers, and the animals. I explained how there was no magic and we relied on science and math. He perked up with interest when I mentioned separate religions, and recoiled in fear when I brought up nuclear weapons and genetic engineering. By the time I could think of no more to tell him, the tea was long gone and the remaining water was cold.

"Your world sounds both amazing and scary. I don't know if I'd want to live there," Ion said after a minute of silence, "but if it's possible, I'd like to see it once."

"I like it, personally, though it really is scary sometimes," I said. There was a knock on the door, and Sync's voice could be heard.

"Fon Master, did you see a tall guy wearing a blindfold?" the God-General asked.

"I'm in here, Sync, I was just having tea with Ion. We would offer you some, but he drank most of it," I called. Ion chuckled, looking a bit embarrassed.

"I suppose you'll be going, then? Please feel free to visit anytime... And please tell Sync for me that Sevvie sends his best regards," Ion said as I stood up.

"Sure, I'll tell him. Bye, Ion, it was great getting to tell someone the truth. Maybe next time I'll ask for your story," I said, waving to him as I walked over to the door. I stepped out, where Sync was waiting.

"...You had tea with him?" Sync asked, tilting his head slightly. "If you know what I am, you'd have to know-"

"-That he's a replica too. Yes. And if I don't have any bad feelings towards you because of it, why would I have bad feelings towards him? You're practically brothers," I cut in. The masked boy paused to ponder this. "Oh yeah, he gave me a message for you."

"What? For me?" Sync said, now more puzzled.

"He said that Sevvie sends his best regards," I said. While I couldn't see Sync's face, the way he froze up suggested shock.

"...You told him something that let him figure out what I am, didn't you?" the God-General said. I nodded, and Sync gave a sigh. "...I guess the blindfold would have caught his attention. Anyways, it's just about time for dinner. I have to fix my own food, but I bet you could convince someone to give you a real dinner."

"Uh, Sync, if nobody feeds you, how do you get food to cook with?" I asked.

"Every so often, I steal money from Van, Legretta, and Dist. They deserve it," Sync said, and from his tone I knew he was grinning under that mask. "So, will you be able to find your way around?"

"Yeah. Thanks," I said. Sync trotted off, leaving me by myself.

In the end, I couldn't find anybody, though I did stumble across a kitchen where they made food for the Oracle Knights, empty of people at the time. I discreetly took an apple, a carrot, a slice of bread, and some unidentifiable smoked meat, and scurried off with my prize to a small balcony, where I could munch on my food while looking out over the city. After I had eaten everything but the carrot's top and apple's core, which I stuffed in the flower boxes hanging off the balcony, I headed for Sync's room. When I got there, the masked boy was in the process of moving several of his soft blankets onto a new pile just across the tiny room from his bed.

"Hey, Jeremy, see this blanket?" Sync said as I entered, holding up a blanket with a fancy seal woven into the design.

"It's very decorative," I said.

"I stole it from Van. I think it's his family crest," he said before tucking it into the new pile. He stepped back and looked between the two blanket piles. "Do these look the same size to you?"

"Um, yeah," I said, though I didn't care too much. They did look very close in size, but it was hard to judge, seeing as there was a tiny bed buried under one of them.

"I have a stack of books, most of which I actually got legally, in the corner. If you want, you can read them. I'm going to go to sleep, though," Sync said. He hopped up onto the pile of blankets made on top of his bed, and soon he was no longer visible, having buried himself deep in the blanket pile. The only light in the room was the light coming in through the window and the small window in the door, and the light from the window was quickly fading. I decided that I had just had a very long day, and that I should also rest. The blanket pile that Sync had provided for me was warm, soft, and comfortable, and after a little bit of fidgeting, I was quickly able to drift off to sleep.


	2. Fracture and Repair

You may have noticed that Jeremy didn't exactly panic. There is a reason for this, and it's called a "delayed reaction". You'll see what happens when everything catches up to him~

* * *

I was woken from my sleep by someone poking me in the ribs and asking, "Jeremy, do you know how to fight?"

Unlike what some people experience, I immediately knew where I was and who was poking me.

"No, Sync, and please stop that," I moaned, swatting his hand away. I pulled the blindfold that was hanging around my neck up to cover my eyes, and as soon as I finished adjusting it, sight was restored to me.

"You should learn. Even Dist can put up a good fight, and he's a total wimp," Sync said. I sat up and looked at him. He hadn't gotten dressed yet, wearing only some baggy pants, and I could see why the two metallic circle things had still been on his shirt- they were embedded in his body, scars visible around them. A dull green-gold glyph was visible on his chest, lines from it wrapping around to his back, and he wasn't wearing his mask, proving that he had the same boyish, expressive face that Ion had.

"I guess I can try. Don't expect much of me, though..." I said. I was still fully dressed, and so I took the time to stand up and stretch a bit while Sync tossed his clothes on, finishing off by donning his mask.

"Great, I'll be busy but I'll make some Locrian Sergeant get you started. Oh yeah, and... Afterwards, I'd like to talk to you. Near the door to the Fon Master's room, there's another transport panel. The word to start it up is 'Evenos', use it to get to where I'll be waiting," Sync said. He opened the door and stepped through, and once I followed, he locked the door and then darted away.

"...Sync is weird," I sighed. I started to wander in the direction of the main public cathedral. I never would have guessed that just because I didn't hate him, Sync would suddenly be so attached to me. It made me wonder how old he was. From my encounter with Ion, I knew it was sometime before the game, but Sync still seemed desperate for some kind of positive treatment and Ion seemed less guarded. It struck me that it might even be a whole year or more before the game's events would start. If that was the case, Sync's bitterness wouldn't be fully cemented, Ion would still be vulnerable to suggestion, and I could maybe truly learn to fight.

I got an idea for a plan at that moment- a plan that, if it failed, would fail horribly, but if it succeeded, would make me the greatest hero in this world's history since that lady Yulia that they worshipped. I figured that with no knowledge of how I was transported here or why, trying to return would be a painful and likely futile effort.

My thoughts were for the time being interrupted when a young man in an Oracle Knight uniform approached me.

"Excuse me, are you Jeremy? Sync's, erm, friend?" he said. He sounded just as astonished at the idea that Sync liked someone as I felt.

"Yeah, that's me," I answered. I hoped I wouldn't end up being called "Sync's friend" by people, and that Sync wasn't calling me his friend.

"Ah, good. I'm supposed to evaluate you for training," he said, sounding relieved that he hadn't approached the wrong person. "If you would follow me..."

The Oracle Knight led me to a clear area outside, where there were many different kinds of weapons hanging on a wall. He had me try to attack him with the various weapons. The sword felt heavy and unnatural, the spear wasn't much better. My aim with the arrows was abysmal, and I nearly dropped the axe on my foot. The nunchucks were too light and went flying, I couldn't lift the mace, and when I tried firing the gun, a crow fell dead to the ground and Ion gave a horrified cry from the balcony above where he had been feeding it. I still felt bad after apologizing half a million times.

At last, there were no weapons left, and the Oracle Knight was perplexed as to what I should use- I had even tried to kick him, but only bruised my toe. That was when I noticed a random pitchfork that had been left in the grass from years and years ago. The stick was completely rotted, but the metal head was intact.

"Um... Can I try the pitchfork head? It kinda looks like a ninja weapon," I asked.

"What's a ninja?" the Oracle Knight said, confused. I picked up the metal farming tool. It was nicely weighted and felt sturdy.

"Never mind," I said before attempting a strike. The forked prongs were able to catch his sword counter, and I twisted it to hold his blade. "...This is pretty sweet. I wish I had another one, I could block a sword with one arm and strike with the other."

"Oh, there is actually a weapon like that! It's not something you usually see in Daath, it's used mainly around the Rugnica Plains in Malkuth, but I think we have a pair. Should I go get it?" he said. The grin on my face was all the response he needed, and soon the Knight returned carrying two sleek black weapons that looked almost like a hybrid of pitchfork and dagger. I took them and inspected them. They were weighted in a better way than the pitchfork head, and I could hold them along my forearm or pointing outwards.

"These are the best thing ever. Let's try this again," I said, and moved in. Though I was obviously not going to be a match for a disciplined soldier, I was able to catch his sword twice and even tap his arm once before I lost the sparring match.

"That. Was. Awesome," I managed to say while panting. I knew I'd found the weapon for me, and the Knight seemed to think so as well.

"Good, it seems that you'll be using... I think they're called sai, then. You can keep those, I'll find someone who knows how to use them to instruct you," he said. "There's not much I can do with you until then, so come back here tomorrow. I'll get in trouble with Sync if I don't teach you, but he never said I couldn't bring help."

With a polite farewell and a reassurance that I'd be back, I was given a belt to tuck my new weapons into and I departed, going back inside. I didn't think Sync was finished with whatever he was doing yet, so I headed up to Ion's room and knocked on the door.

"Ion, are you there...? I want to apologize again," I called. The door opened, and a mildly unhappy Ion poked his head out.

"Oh, Jeremy. Hi," he said.

"Look, Ion, I'm really sorry, I said the gun was a bad idea... I wasn't trying to hit the bird... I hope you can forgive me," I said, a few tears forming in the corners of my ruined eyes. The little Fon Master didn't deserve to have the bird killed.

Ion's expression went unreadable for a minute.

"...Jeremy. I'll forgive you if you promise that since that blackbird was killed before it could fly away, you'll help me fly away from here eventually. Not now, maybe not even soon. Just, when I ask you," he said. This was surprising to me. He had always come across as innocent and naïve. Was that just a show? In this moment, he seemed calculating and clever.

"Um... Well... Okay, Ion. I promise I'll help you," I said, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. His cheery, innocent smile returned and the cold intelligence was gone.

"Thank you, Jeremy! Come by tomorrow and we can have some tea, okay?" he said, happy. I told myself that I had just imagined it, and that Ion probably wanted to get out because he was lonely. I waved, and left.

It was hard to find that platform Sync had mentioned. A crate had been shoved over it, which I pushed aside. I stepped onto it, and it glowed softly.

"Evenos," I said, and there was a pulse of white light. It faded to reveal that I had been transported high up, into a small glass-windowed room on top of the huge, unusual structure that enclosed the city. The view was stunning, and a built-in bench circled the whole room. The glyph under my feet would take me back when I needed it. I walked over to the window and looked out. There was a tall mountain in the distance, the upper slopes barren stone instead of the lush greenery covering the lower part of the mountain..

"That's Mt. Zaleho," I heard Sync's voice say from behind me. "I don't have a very good history with that giant hunk of rock." I turned to see him standing on the transport glyph.

"Hi, Sync. You wanted to talk to me?" I said. "This is a neat place. Does anyone ever come up here?"

"Not really. I heard that ever since the old Fon Master before original Ion died, nobody wanted to come here," he said. He trotted over to the bench, sat down, and motioned for me to sit. "It was his favorite place or something. Maybe they're superstitious?"

"...His name was Evenos, wasn't it?" I asked, walking over and sitting beside the masked God-General.

"Yeah. He died and then my original was picked to be Fon Master. You know what they both died of? It was the same thing," Sync said. I shook my head to say no, and he continued, "Miasma poisoning. Evenos died from the miasma that came up when Hod fell. My stupid original went to Yulia City and the air system to his room 'mysteriously' failed. I think those bastards sabotaged it because the Score said he'd die and he was perfectly healthy."

"...If they did that, then your use of the term 'bastards' is appropriate. I don't know what he might have been like, but everyone deserves to live," I said, saddened by Sync's words. Murder in the name of a misleading prophecy... It was too sad.

"Oh, he was a sick bastard too. He treated his replicas like animals, like rappigs raised to win an award, and when the prize-winning rappig was picked, the others were just slaughtered," Sync said. His bitterness really showed now, and it was now easier to recognize him as Sync in personality. He was still that bitter person, just not as bitter and more open towards me.

"I'm terribly sorry, Sync... Nobody deserves that kind of treatment. At least you have your life, though, you have a chance to make something of yourself," I said, my kindness getting the better of my reason as I lifted a hand and set it gently on his shoulder. He stiffened up at the touch, then slowly relaxed, the corner of his mouth giving a twitch as if to smile.

"That's not exactly how I would have thought of it, Jeremy, but thanks. I want to tell you, though... The Score is why I exist. My life, from my birth until I met you yesterday, has been nothing but suffering. So... I want to destroy the Score, and have my revenge, even if it means working with people I hate," Sync said, looking over at me. His mask hid his eyes from me, but he had a distantly sad frown. This was a chance to put my plan into action!

"Sync, something's wrong with what you said there. You said that the Score is the reason you exist?" I said, making sure to sound concerned. He nodded, and then tilted his head. "But it's not. Van and the original Ion tried to replace Ion to defy the Score, the Score itself never mentions the creation of Ion replicas. So... Why would you want revenge on the Score instead of revenge on Van? Your original's dead, there's no getting revenge on him."

Sync fell silent, confused. He started to speak twice, but couldn't find his words. At last, he muttered, "...Jeremy, I'm going to go harass Dist. Sorry to just leave, have fun," and stood up. He walked to the teleporter, quietly spoke the password, and he was gone. I turned to look out at Daath.

I hadn't panicked up until now- I guess my subconsciousness really hadn't grasped how serious this was. But then it clicked that I was trapped here with no knowledge of how to get home, my cousin was all by herself and I wasn't there to care for her, I was going to miss all my college classes when school started up next week, I was completely dependent on a mentally unstable replica for my safety and lodgings, and unless I found some clue as to what had happened and how to go home, I might end up spending the rest of my life in this world.

Having finally realized that I was in very, very serious trouble, I did the most sane and rational thing I could think of.

I began screaming at the top of my lungs and running around the small room in dizzying, frantic circles. This only went on for a minute until I was knocked back by a sharp slap to the face.

"Will you stop making that infernal screeching? Dear Yulia, I don't mind sharing this room as long as you would kindly shut up!" an irritated voice growled. I could see nobody there, but the slap was sufficient to snap me out of my panicked state. I was still very worried, though.

"What... Who's there? Why can't I see you?" I asked, putting aside my worries just for the moment.

"...Ah, I forgot to make myself visible," the voice said. The transparent, insubstantial form of a man appeared in front of me, arms crossed and an unamused look on his face. He looked like he was younger than 30, but still several years older than me. His hair was pure black, though with a deep blue streak running through the loose hair that covered his forehead while the rest of his shaggy black locks tied back in a small ponytail. Even for a spirit, his face was unusually pale, which accented his piercing ice-blue eyes, and his body was covered by an outfit identical to Ion's but with blue trim replacing green.

"AAAAUGH IT'S A GHOST," I instantly screamed, not being at my most rational at the moment. The stern-faced spirit slapped me again, harder this time. Despite his mostly insubstantial form, the blow stung, and I recoiled, cringing.

"Are you going to stop screaming, or will I have to hit you again?" he threatened, holding up his hand.

"I-I'll stop," I whimpered, now a bit scared. "Who are you...?"

"Fon Master Evenos. Or I should say, former Fon Master," he said, looking quite relieved to have me quiet down.

Huh. So Sync was wrong, it wasn't just superstitious nonsense. Evenos's spirit still lingered here.

"Oh. Um. It's, uh, an honor to meet you, sir-" I began, when Evenos scowled.

"Ugh, please drop the formalities. Can't anyone just speak to me normally?" he said, nestling his forehead in his hand.

"Sorry. I, uh, haven't met any important people before aside from Ion's replica," I said. I hoped I would be able to get more used to talking to this ghost. "Nice to meet you, Evenos, I'm-"

"I know who you are, Jeremy. Yulia Jue brought you here using Lorelei's power, though she only told me just before you arrived in my watchtower," Evenos said, arms crossed and tone impatient.

"Sorry," I said, feeling slow on the uptake.

"You were not informed. Yulia thought that it would be easier to overturn the Score in a way that will save the most people if she brought in someone free from the Score into the Order of Lorelei," Evenos said. He smirked. "It's funny- before my death, I never would have imagined working to overturn the Score. But Yulia explained things, and here I am. So, I'm supposed to let you know that you have nothing to panic about. Yulia and I will watch you, and we'll return you a week after the time we took you away. Your cousin will be just fine, we'll see to it. So don't worry, alright? If you get into any real danger, we'll save you."

Evenos's words calmed me. So I would be mostly safe, I'd be returned, and my cousin would be okay. Those were my reasons for panicking, and they were all countered- as long as the dead Fon Master was being truthful.

"Really? My cousin will be fine, you're sure? And I'll definitely be okay at the end of it and get home before too long?" I asked, hopeful.

"You'll be alive. Anything beyond that, no guarantee, but you'll live. Your cousin will be watched over in your stead, and I was being accurate to the second when I said a week," Evenos answered.

"Oh. That... then I don't have any reason to panic. Thank you, Evenos!" I said, grinning. I tossed my arms around the ghost in a hug, surprised to feel the faintest, soft sense of something there.

"Get off of me!" he hissed, and I quickly let go and stepped back.

"Sorry, that just made me really happy, knowing that it'll be okay as long as I keep up," I responded, my grin not fading.

"Well, you certainly seem confident. So you'll help our world for sure, then?" the spirit said. I nodded and grinned, happy that someone was looking out for me- even if only to save me from death.

"Alright. Well, I'll have to follow you... So here, hold out your hands," Evenos said. I did, and the former Fon Master placed his hands over mine. He closed his icy eyes, and focused, the ghostly cloth of his robes fluttering as if there was wind circling his body.

A pulse of brilliant rainbow flashed between his transparent hands and my solid ones, and a leather wristband bearing an azure gem materialized in my hands.

"This is cool," I said, looking at it.

"Sylph and Undine collaborated on it. They want to help Lorelei, so... I can reside in that gem and allow you to use some Daathic fonic artes, as well as give you advice. Wear it until you return home, and if you want you can keep it after that," Evenos said. He brushed his fingers against the gem, and vanished.

I slipped the wristband on. It fit perfectly, even contracting once it was past my hand so it would stay snug.

"Thanks, Evenos, I appreciate it," I said, smiling. I could swear I heard him say "no problem."

With that, I figured I had stayed up in Evenos's 'watchtower' long enough. I stepped onto the transport glyph, and muttered the codeword- Evenos's name, to which I heard him give a soft chuckle. A pulse of light returned me to the cathedral, and I glanced at the door to Ion's room before making my way towards the main cathedral hall. From there, I navigated through the mazelike compound below to reach the cool, dark hallway where Sync's room was. It was easy to remember which room was his, and I knocked lightly on the door.

"Eh? Jeremy?" Sync's voice said from behind the door.

"Yeah, it's me. I found a cool wristband under a bench in the room where we met up and I think it might have belonged to Fom Master Evenos, want to see it?" I called. I honestly didn't expect true interest from him, but it was good to have someone support my claim on where I got it. I somehow doubted that saying "Fon Master Evenos, Sylph, and Undine gave it to me" would go over well.

(Good choice. It does look like something I would have worn,) Evenos said, directly into my mind, which made me flinch slightly. Luckily, it passed before the door swung open.

"Sure," Sync said, standing in the doorway with his mask and coat off. It seemed I had caught him while he was relaxing. I held up my wrist, and he inspected the wristband, poking the gem once.

"I like the color on it," I said. "Though it might be a bit unsuited to me?"

"Nah, it goes okay with the weird shirt you wear," Sync said, tone dismissive.

"Weird shirt?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I mean, it's just one layer of fabric and it goes up around your neck like that. I've never seen anyone wear a shirt like it," the masked God-General said.

"I must be very unique, then. Is it late afternoon now?" I said, frowning slightly. I already stood out just from a light blue turtleneck... I considered trying to earn money to get myself an outfit that would stand out less.

"Yeah. Sunset isn't for a good bit, there's time to do other things," Sync answered. "I'm just going to stay here, though."

"I'll explore the place a bit. Not even you can possibly have gone everywhere this cathedral has, it's huge," I said, and though Sync didn't know it, I was also directing the comment at Evenos.

Sync waved as I left, and soon I was trotting off at a steady pace through the halls of the Oracle Headquarters. I hoped that there would be something interesting to find. I turned corner after corner as I made my way into the depths of the cathedral's underground levels, and it showed by the dusty walls and small cobwebs in the corners. However, the floor was cleared, as if someone else had been this way. Eventually, I came to a door that had a hint of light coming from under the door. Curious, I pressed my ear against the door. I could hear nothing. I knocked softly, and there was a soft sound of someone skittering away from the door.

"Hey, is someone there? Can I come in?" I asked, keeping my tone gentle.

There was no answer for a minute. Then the light footsteps moved to the door, and it opened just a crack. Two wide, scared, pine-green eyes peered out at me.

"Hi there," I said. "Who are you?" The eyes looked very familiar, like... like Ion's.

"...A replica," a timid, wavering voice that also mirrored Ion said. Huh... Maybe this was the Ion replica that, if I remembered right, Mohs would force to read the Score.

"You're a very nice replica. Why are you here by yourself?" I said. The green-eyed boy stared at me for a minute, possibly considering his options.

"Because I already got my food and there's no new Score to read?" he said, sounding unsure of himself. "Grand Maestro Mohs said 'stay', so I have to stay."

"Aww. Is anyone mean to you, little guy?" I asked, a bit worried for him. It wasn't healthy to leave a kid all by himself like this.

"...Mean? I don't know," he said, and the position of the bit of him I could see shifted in a way that suggested he was tilting his head slightly in the same way that Ion and Sync did.

"Well, do you ever get hit or yelled at? Are you always alone here when you aren't getting food or reading the Score?" I pressed, sincerely hoping he'd say no.

The replica looked away, then nodded his head. "...All of that," he said, sounding gloomy. It made me feel a bit sickened. Mohs might think of replicas as tools, but this little boy... how could anybody see this as anything short of child abuse?

"Well, little replica, another replica made me promise to take him away from here someday. When that comes, I'm going to come here and get you, and take you with us so nobody can do that to you anymore. Okay?" I said, giving the nameless replica a smile.

"...Pinky promise?" he asked, looking a bit hopeful for the first time.

"Yeah," I said, holding out my hand with my little finger extended. A pale, scrawny hand reached out from the doorway, and we curled our pinkies together. "Pinky promise. I have to go now, but even before I come get you, I'll try to visit you. Bye, little replica." He vanished inside and the door closed as I turned and started to make my way back to Sync's room for the night.


	3. Warped Window

This is going to be the last initial chapter- from now on they'll be delayed more. I hope to see some readers coming by~

* * *

Sync was already asleep when I returned, and so the night passed without incident. When morning came, I woke up right before he moved to shake me awake and caught his wrist.

"Nice try, Sync," I said, grinning as I pulled my blindfold over my eyes. I hadn't actually seen him over me, but I had somehow known.

(You sensed his Seventh Fonons. Your fon slots are not particularly well-adjusted, but at least they're present and sensitive enough to work,) Evenos said.

"How did you know I was... Eh, who cares? It's a special day today- I have a meeting with the other God-Generals today, which means I don't have to cook my own lunch! The guy who I told to train you should have found someone by now, so you can really start learning to fight," Sync said. He seemed much more excited by the prospect of not cooking and still getting fed than he did about the meeting's subject, which was honestly kind of sad.

"Okay, looks like the day is all planned then. Have fun with your meeting," I said. I had gotten to my feet while he was talking, and we left the room. He locked the door behind him again, and tossed me a key. I managed to catch it without dropping it.

"Thanks. I got you a key too so you won't be locked out," he said, before giving me a wave and dashing away.

I started to walk to the main cathedral. When I got there, Ion was walking across the room, Van walking beside him. Ion had a smile on his face as always, but this time it didn't reach his eyes. I hid behind a pillar and listened, hoping to hear what they were discussing.

"Van, I'm perfectly happy with the Fon Master Guardian I have. Why do I need another one?" Ion was saying.

"It's for your safety, Fon Master. Now come along," Van said. As they kept going, I started to sneak after them. When they had just gotten through the door and I caught the door and looked in after them, Van turned to look at me.

"Uh, hi?" I said, a sheepish expression on my face.

"Your stealth is admirable, but I'm not the commander of the God-Generals for nothing. What is your name?" Van said, looking at me with an amused look on his mouth but an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Jeremy... I'm Jeremy, mister Vandesdelca sir!" I said, a bit nervous. This was the main villain of the story here, and he was staring me down.

I didn't expect the low chuckle and shake of his head I had earned from him.

"Well met, Jeremy. Though, my proper title would be Commandant," he said.

"Oh. Uh, sorry, Commandant. I'll just be going, then-" I started.

"Wait. Show me your wristband," he said. I glanced at the wristband that held Evenos's soul, and hesitantly lifted my arm to let him see. He looked into the gem for a minute, expression unreadable.

"Where did you get such an accessory?" he asked me.

"I found it. It was just gathering dust, so I assumed nobody would mind," I said, praying that he'd buy it. "Should I go put it back?"

"...You may keep it. It suits you, the legacy of a blind fool worn on the arm of a blind boy," Van said.

(Blind fool? That bastard! Just let me take control of your body for a minute, I'll teach him a lesson about respect for the dead,) Evenos growled, fuming.

"Noooooo," I hissed under my breath. I hoped Van didn't notice as I said, "Thank you for letting me keep it, Commandant. I'll let you be on your way." Ion gave a cheerier wave than the commandant's single wave as I stepped back out into the cathedral.

(He knows I'm with you. You should be very careful, that man is dangerous,) Evenos commented.

"I know he is. Believe it or not, I have knowledge of a possible future for your world," I said, whispering under my breath. "And in that future, a replica of the scion of Lorelei's power stops that guy from replacing the entire world with a giant replica."

Evenos didn't have time to comment, as the man who Sync had ordered to train me walked over.

"I found someone to instruct you in using your weapons. Come along," he said.

"Sure," I said, trotting after him as he led me out to the training area from earlier. The person waiting there was a female Oracle Knight, wearing a uniform with similarities to Legretta's or Tear's. She had a belt on, two silvery sai tucked neatly in, and she looked amused.

"Hi, are you the new kid? I'm Marina, I heard you need to learn how to deal with a pair of sai. Well, I'm the best Knight for the job, so if you're willing to learn then you'll go far!" she said, striding over and offering me a handshake. I accepted, finding her hand warm and her shake strong and energetic.

The lessons began after that. I learned that sai were natural counters against the blade, but were very difficult to use against someone armed with arrows or a gun. I began to learn basic techniques for blocking, of which there were several, and for striking, of which there were a few. I could tell that Marina, my teacher, was both somewhat impressed with how well I naturally handled the weapons and annoyed at how little I knew about fighting in general.

I worked on mainly the blocking, Marina correcting me when I did it wrong and occasionally trying a light attack to test my defense. Eventually, we stopped and took a break to eat lunch, sandwiches provided for both of us, before continuing to work on it. This time, we worked on my strikes, Marina blocking my attempts. She seemed amused by my lack of strength, though my strikes were swift and accurate. We didn't spend as long on this session, and it was around mid-afternoon when we finally stopped. My whole body ached slightly, but not enough to stop me from walking around.

"It was good working with you, Jer, I think you're going to make a good fighter. I'll see you tomorrow," Marina said, giving a wave before she went inside. I took the time to carefully put away my pair of sai before walking over to the door.

(So how the hell do you know an unScored future?) Evenos asked as I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

"In my world, there's a video game- which is sort of hard to explain, it's like a book where you make the characters do things- called Tales Of The Abyss. And the story follows that future," I whispered, barely loud enough for myself to even hear. "From that story, I know who a lot of the important people in this world are."

(...Wow, I'm very glad Yulia chose you for this. You'll already have an idea of what is wrong with this world. Is that why you said you know Van is dangerous?) the former Fon Master said. I nodded as I walked through the cathedral's halls.

"It's also how I know that Sync and Ion are both replicas, and that the fall of Hod was part of the Planet Score," I said under my breath.

(Interesting. By the way, I did mention that I can lend you the ability to use Daathic fonic artes. You should go up to my watchtower so I can teach you to use them,) Evenos said. I gave a half-shrug in agreement and started off in that direction.

Soon, we were back in that windowed high room. The gem on my wristband pulsed with a blue light, and Evenos appeared in front of me.

"It is easier to teach you from out here, but the power you need to borrow from me remains in the gem," he said. "Now, I'll start by teaching you the most basic Daathic arte, it's called Luminous Ray. You don't have a Fon Master's staff to channel the fonons, but the sai you bear are shaped just right to act as a substitute. Take one out."

With Evenos directing me, I steadied my stance, held my sai sideways, and mentally willed energy to gather. The objective was to fire a burst of energy forward at the window, which was made specially to absorb the charged fonons. I continued to focus, and a glowing glyph started to shine under my feet- but it was very faint, and refused to get brighter and complete the arte. I could feel my mental energy start to trickle away, and I released my focus.

"Sorry. I couldn't gather any more fonons..." I said, relaxing my stance slightly. Evenos shook his head with a faint grin.

"You did well, considering that it's both your first try and you are not a Fon Master, you are just borrowing the abilities of one," the spirit said. "Try it again now that you have an idea of what to expect."

I tried several more times, Evenos giving me ideas on how to improve with each try. Though I was starting to get tired, at last the glyph became bright under my feet and my sai lit up with the same glow.

"Luminous Ray!" I called, swinging my sai out in a diagonal arc. A weak burst of white shot out, fading out before it hit the window. I then tucked away the weapon and dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. I felt oddly tired out.

"That was one of the weakest Luminous Rays I have ever seen. But it was your first success, and I am confident that with diligent training you can eventually even learn Akashic Torment, the most complex Daathic Arte," Evenos said. The arte name sounded familiar, but I didn't say as such, too out of breath to do so. I managed to stand up, and dragged myself over to the benches that surrounded the room. I sat, leaning against the wall and enjoying the chance to rest a bit. Evenos vanished into the wristband again, and slowly my breathing settled and strength trickled back into my body. With it came a feeling that my throat was a bit dry, and when I took the transporter back, I remembered that Ion had offered me tea. Only a minute later, I knocked lightly on the door to Ion's chambers.

"What's the password?" a girl's voice called. It was very familiar, and I decided to have a bit of fun with this.

"Password? Is it something ridiculous like 'I'm a hot guy with loads of cash', Anise?" I called.

Behind the door, there was an indignant squeak, shuffling sounds, and a muttered curse from Anise as Ion and someone else laughed. At last, the door opened and Ion greeted me, grinning.

"Hello, Jeremy, come on in!" he said, opening the door further and moving aside.

I stepped in to see two people besides him in there. One was, as I had guessed, a small brunette girl with cute pink clothes and a slightly creepy-looking plush toy on her back, its long arms tossed around her neck. She glared at me as I entered, looking annoyed by the way I had teased her- Anise Tatlin looked small and harmless, but was really much smarter than she appeared. I didn't recognize the second person, a young man with skin paler than the sickly Ion replica's and hair even paler white. He scanned me with his pale blue eyes, arms folded over the practical-looking red-and-gold outfit he wore. His weapon was obvious, a rifle that was strapped across his back.

"Ion, who's this jerk?" Anise asked, pointing to me.

"His name is Jeremy. He's a friend of mine, we met two days ago. If I recall, you were receiving special instruction at the time," Ion said, looking unbothered by the insult to me.

"Hi," I said, not offering a handshake. I was worried that she might try to crush my hand if I did. I turned my attention to the other guy. "And who are you? I already know who Anise is."

"Acheron. I'm the Fon Master's new guardian," he said. He surveyed me for a minute before wordlessly reaching out for a handshake. I accepted it, and I noticed that his hand was thin and his fingers long and yet his grip was firm and strong.

"It's nice to meet you, Acheron," I said, as he released the handshake after two quick shakes.

"We were going to have tea. I know you aren't a Guardian, but would you like to have tea with us?" Ion offered, looking at me.

"Sure, I'd love to," I said. Anise frowned, and sat next to Ion, leaving me to occupy the spot next to Acheron. The pale young man wasn't bothered, though he did glance at me.

"...You're the blind boy that Ion said might join us," he observed as the Fon Master happily poured the tea into four cups. "You have an excellent sense of where things are, considering it."

From this, it was clear that Ion had mentioned me, though he hadn't mentioned the enchantment that returned my sight. I decided not to correct him and allow him to think I was entirely blind.

"Ion, you mentioned me? I'm flattered that the Fon Master thinks me interesting enough to talk about," I said, an amused smirk flickering across my face.

"Well, I had told you that you could come over for tea. I thought it best to inform my two Guardians about you. Let's see... I told them that you're blind, you seem to be very kindhearted, that you're only just learning to defend yourself, and that you're Sync's guest," Ion said. My cheeks felt hot with embarrassment at the remark about being kindhearted, and I hid it by trying the tea. Even unsweetened, it was delicious.

"I don't think he's kindhearted, I think he's mean," Anise whined. Ion gave her a bothered look.

"Anise, even I can tell it was just lighthearted teasing. You didn't mean any offense by it, right?" Ion said, giving me a hopeful look.

"Of course I wasn't trying to offend you, Anise. Ion's right. I was just trying to have some fun," I said, giving her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"Hmm..." Anise stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Well, if he gives me fifty Gald-"

"Anise!" Ion and Acheron both exclaimed, exasperated.

"I, uh, I would except that I have no money. It was all stolen," I said. A flicker of sympathy showed in her eyes for just a second.

"Well, I guess I can just forgive you then. But how did Sync notice you if you're just a random victim of thievery? He's such a cold, calculating guy, he almost seems emotionless sometimes... What's so special about you?" she said. Well, it seemed that between me and Ion, she was willing to listen to me. She started on her tea, and Ion gently fanned his with his hand to cool it before doing the same, keeping his eyes on me with an interested expression.

"He was really angry over something, not thinking straight, and I happened to be there. He attacked me and blinded me, and he's helping me out of remorse," I said. I didn't want to share why he had been angry, or how I'd gotten him to calm down. Luckily, nobody but Acheron seemed to notice the intentional vagueness, and the new Guardian only raised an eyebrow and not an objection.

"Huh. So he did that... How did it happen? Did he stab you with a hidden knife, or gouge out your eyes with his bare hands?" Anise asked, an interested glint appearing in her eyes. Ion paled slightly, shivering as he envisioned each scenario, and set his half-empty teacup down.

"Uhh... I was wearing glasses, and he hit me so hard that the glass lenses broke... and the broken glass cut my eyes up. Honestly? It's kind of pathetic," I said, turning my head away in embarrassment.

Anise gave a snort of laughter, and I caught a smirk on Acheron's face that he tried to hide by lifting his cup to his lips.

"Blinded by your own glasses? That's the wimpiest thing I've ever-" Anise started, when Ion sharply elbowed her in the gut, causing her to almost spill her tea.

"Anise, blindness is a serious disability and it's not funny. Stop harassing him," the Fon Master said in a firm but gentle tone. Anise fell silent, but didn't apologize. Ion sopke again. "...Well, Jeremy, I'm terribly sorry about your sight, but I'm sure you can still make something great of yourself. Maybe if you become very skilled, I'd consider a third Fon Master Guardian." At the last bit, a giggle found itself into his voice.

"If you had him around, I might just quit," Anise said, in a tone suggesting amused sarcasm. She took a sip of her tea. I picked up a paper sugar packet, and tossed it at her head. The paper packet lightly bounced off her pigtail, and innocently sipped at my tea as she glared at me. Ion and Acheron also drank the warm liquid, and Anise eventually ignored me and returned to her own drink. There was enough tea left for each of us to have a second cup, and I eagerly drank mine without waiting for it to cool further. Everyone was fairly quiet as they sipped at their second round of tea. I felt quite refreshed between the tea and the chance to sit and rest.

Eventually, the tea was all finished off.

"Goodbye, everyone, I'll see you later," I said, getting up to leave with a short, cheery wave. Ion returned the gesture with a happy smile, while his two Guardians each gave a single emotionless wave in response. I walked out, and soon I was closing Ion's door behind me.

"Think the cute little Ion replica is alone?" I muttered softly, not wanting to be caught talking to myself. After all, that's what it would seem like to any outside observer. "It's not late enough for dinner."

(Cute? I think he's pitiful. He's probably so skittish because he's horribly abused,) Evenos said. There was a pause before he added, (He's probably alone now though. If he isn't, I'll help you with an excuse. It's good of you to want to help him.)

"Thanks for that. Not sure how much good it'd do, but..." I answered in a whisper before walking on ahead. I wasn't sure how exactly to get to that area, so I found my way to Sync's room. It was where I had started wandering when I had come across the near-abandoned hallway. I started walking, taking any turn that looked familiar and wouldn't lead me back to the main hall. The long, winding halls weren't easy to navigate. After a while of walking, I passed by a tall, somewhat imposing man that I immediately recognized as Mohs. A chunk of glistening crystal was tucked under his arm- a fonstone with a piece of the Score on it, most likely. Mohs glanced at me, but ignored me entirely. I took this as a sign that I was going the right way, but I wasn't close yet.

Shortly after encountering the Grand Maestro, I noticed the scent of dust, and a strange dimness to the lights. While normally this would be creepy, I had seen it when I found the little replica. And, just as I had hoped, soon I found the hall with the dusty cobwebs and the room with the light under the door. I put my ear to the door, and could hear the faint sound of quiet sobs.

"You in there, little guy?" I called. There was a startled cry of confusion, then a pause.

"...Nice guy with the cloth over your eyes?" the little replica's shaky voice asked. Well, I hadn't exactly told him my name, but that was a decent description.

"Yeah. It's me. Are you okay?" I responded. From the sound of it, he was all alone. The kid didn't respond by speaking. Instead, there was the sound of uneven footsteps moving over, and the door opened. He didn't only open a tiny crack like last time, instead opening it wide enough for me to enter and get a good look at him. The replica of Ion was clearly not well cared for. The tunic he was wearing was torn in spots, worn thin in others, and looked filthy. His green hair wasn't a tangled mess, but it looked like the reason for that was because it was so greasy any tangles would slide apart. There was a lost, hurt expression in his eyes, and the way he was holding his arms wrapped tightly around his sickly thin body suggested that he was in pain, both mentally and physically. The idea that someone would willingly do this to a child this young- he couldn't possibly have been alive for more than two years, being a replica of Ion- made me feel ill.

"I'm not going to lie to you, little guy, you look horrible," I said, resisting the urge to pick him up and try to comfort him. It would probably scare him. I glanced around the room that was close to the same size as Sync's. I was very relieved to see that he at least had a little bed and a small bathroom. "You should probably lay down and try to get some rest."

The boy obediently limped over to his bed and curled up on it, still watching me. He looked a bit calmer now, though still sad and hurt. I walked over and knelt on the floor beside his bed.

"What happened, by the way? I don't think you were in this condition when we met," I said. Hopefully, he could answer me. The way he was still shaking and his eyes were half-shut, I doubted it.

"Grand Maestro Mohs made me read the Score. It hurts," he whimpered. "There's too much power and it makes me talk funny and then when it leaves it burns." I gently patted his head, ignoring the fact that his hair felt like it had never been washed. This calmed him a bit, and it showed by how his trembling diminished.

"That's sad... You shouldn't have to do it if it hurts you," I said. He was clearly happy about me saying this, though he didn't smile. I couldn't blame him, considering how his life was going.

I stayed there for a few minutes, just continuing to give him the physical comfort of gently patting his head. I wanted to give him mental comfort as well, and tried to think of a story I could tell him that was cheerful and that he would understand. I decided that making something up would be best, as I didn't know anything particularly fitting. I wasn't the most creative person I knew, but the little replica probably wouldn't know the difference.

"Hey, do you want to hear a story? It might make you feel better," I said, still comfortingly patting the boy's head. My hand felt slightly greasy from touching his hair so much.

"...okay," his soft voice replied, his green eyes looking at me with an expression full of curiosity. It occurred to me that this might be the first time anyone had ever offered to tell him a story.

"Alright. It starts like this. One day, there was a little bird. The bird had fallen out of its nest and hurt its wing," I began. The replica blinked, saying nothing. I took the lack of interruption as an invitation to go on. "A few other animals walked by, and they ignored the bird with the hurt wing. The little bird started crying. A mean human walked by, heard the bird crying, and got annoyed. They picked the bird up and took it further away from the nest. This made the bird cry even more, and the mean person left the bird there."

"That mean person sounds like Mohs," the boy said, lifting his head up from the bed slightly.

"He does, I think," I said, resisting the urge to laugh. "But I'm not done, okay?"

"Okay," he said. He was silent, watching me as if he wasn't sure what to expect.

"But then a nice person came along and found the little crying bird. The nice person knew that the bird wouldn't be accepted if they put it back in its nest, so they took the bird home with them. The bird and the nice human were friends for the rest of their lives," I finished. The replica boy finally managed a weak, shaky smile.

"That's a nice story. Thank you," he said.

"Take care of yourself, kid. I'll see you later," I said. With those words, I patted his head one last time, before getting up to leave.


	4. Shadowed Spyglass

This chapter covers a longer time than the previous ones. Another new chapter should be up soonish. Maybe.

* * *

The next morning after I told the Ion replica the story, Sync once again left me to my training. I put effort into it, and Marina could tell I was trying. After it, Evenos took me to the watchtower to teach me Daathic artes, and I only managed to fire off one Luminous Ray. Like the previous day's attempts, it was weak and left me tired out. I spent some time being nice to Sync, which he appreciated, and the little bit of free time outside of that visiting the nameless replica.

There was no break in this routine for days. I started to fall comfortably into the pattern my life was starting to adopt. Luckily for me, Sync happily helped me with the fact that I only had one set of clothes, stealing some casual clothes from soldiers and presenting them to me as a gift, returning them to where he took them from if they didn't fit me. I didn't quite approve of the theft for my sake, but it made it so that the only reason I stood out was my blindfold, and so I allowed him to without objecting. My skills with the sai improved significantly, my blocks quick and strikes solid, though not powerful yet, and I built up my mental endurance to the point where I could successfully use Luminous Ray without exhausting myself- though at that point, using a full-powered blast three times would tire me out. Some days, I would visit Ion, though I learned to time it to when Acheron was guarding his quarters from outside and Anise was off doing something else. She seemed to run off quite often. Around other people, Sync showed his cold fierceness and his bitterness, which I witnessed often enough, but he grew even warmer towards me. Even the slightest positive word from me delighted him. It made me feel sorry for him, really, that he was so starved for affection that he would follow me like a lost puppy, and this led to me making an effort to be his friend. The green-haired boy eagerly reciprocated my positivity towards him.

A few days later, I was on my way to sneak in a visit to the little Ion replica. I had never been caught, and I had made him promise never to share anything I told him with Mohs, Van, or the God-Generals. As I made my way through the cathedral's halls towards that isolated room, I decided that the kid really needed a name. If I remembered right, Anise had come up with something far later, but I couldn't remember what it had been. Did it start with an L or F, maybe? I didn't know. I continued to think about it as I kept walking. It had something to do with innocence, I did remember that much. Maybe Evenos would know.

"Hey, Evenos. Know any good names that mean something like innocence and start with F or L?" I asked. I kept my voice down, but didn't have to whisper, as there was nobody there.

(Are you thinking of naming that replica? I was hoping you would. Let's see... Well, I have a few names in Ancient Ispanian that might fit. 'Laurion' is a name meaning 'flower child', 'Faelian' means 'innocent bird', and 'Florian' means 'innocent child',) Evenos said. He sounded like he was laughing for some reason. (They all sound girly... But considering who he's a replica of, it's completely fitting!) Ah... That was why.

"It's not funny," I said, crossing my arms. Those names were nice, though. Especially Florian... It sounded familiar. Maybe it was the one Anise had picked out? Either way, it was cute and I thought he'd like it.

(Yes it is, and you know it,) Evenos replied, and I imagined him grinning. He probably was, knowing him.

"In any case, even if it is a bit girly, Florian sounds like it would fit him. Thanks, Evenos," I said. Just as I said this, I reached the hall that led to the replica's room. As I was used to doing, I lightly knocked on the door.

Seconds after I knocked, the kid opened the door, greeting me with a happy shine in his eyes.

"Hello," he said. He wasn't smiling, but the look in his eyes told me he was glad to see me. I'd only actually made him smile twice, and I hoped today I could get a third from him.

"Hey there, little guy. I have something really special for you," I said, stepping inside when he moved aside and opened the door further.

"Special? What is it?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Well, I have a name, and Mohs has a name, right? I think you need a name too. I picked out a name that I think fits you," I said, smiling at the little replica. He looked surprised, then even happier. He still wasn't smiling, though.

"A name? For me? Wow, really... What is it? What is it?" he chirped, hopping up and down twice.

"Florian. Your name can be Florian. Do you like it?" I said, a gentle smile on my face from seeing his excitement.

The replica stopped bouncing, blinked twice, then gave a happy, innocent smile. He tossed his arms around me in a hug. I returned the hug and gently patted his head.

"Florian. Floooriiiaaan," he said, trying out the sound of it. He released me from the hug, but his radiant smile remained. "I love it, Jeremy, thank you so much. I owe you so much... You're the only person who's ever been truly nice to me ever since Sevvie was picked to be Ion and the others died." He had started to adopt some of my bigger vocabulary and speech patterns, which worried me slightly. If someone noticed, they might figure out that he had another visitor.

"You deserve it. But I told you not to tell anyone else about me, and that includes your name. For now, Florian, your name will have to be our secret. Can you do that?" I said, serious now. I had stressed to him the importance of keeping my visits secret, but he was so excited about having a name that I was concerned about him possibly sharing it.

"It's going to be my favorite secret. Anytime Mohs is mean, I'm going to think of my name so that I can endure it without crying," the newly-named Florian said. I couldn't help but smile around him, the little boy was so sweet despite the bad things that happened to him.

"Florian... You know, that's really depressing. I can't wait until the day I can come and get you out of here," I said, ruffling his hair. "I'll find you somewhere good to live where everyone, or at least mostly everyone, will be nice to you."

"Jeremy, you give me so much hope for the future. You're my favorite person," he chirped, happy.

Our conversation went on for a bit longer, but eventually I left Florian and returned to the room I was sharing with Sync. I was getting good at making my way between the areas I visited most often, and the walk that before was a confusing maze that took forever to navigate was now just a winding but easy path. When I got back, I found Sync waiting there for me.

"Hey, Jeremy. I have something that we need to talk about... It's kind of important," Sync said, looking a bit downcast.

"That's not like you. This must be pretty big," I said, taking a seat inside. Sync sat on his bed and pulled his mask off, tossing it to the side.

"Yeah. I... have an assignment in Belkend. I'm going to have to leave you in Daath by yourself for a while. Will you be alright?" the God-General said, frowning. He really did look worried for me, which made me feel both touched and slightly bothered.

"I'm sure I can manage, Sync. Thanks for your concern," I said. I shot him a reassuring smile. He looked quite relieved.

"Oh, good. Also, I took the liberty of officially arranging for you to be counted as an Oracle Knight under my direct command, so nobody should bother you and you'll get free meals," Sync said, grinning now.

"...oh...kay. Um, sounds great, I guess," I said.

It was just as Sync had said, I soon found. A small pin that looked suspiciously like a tuning fork marked my status, and when Sync left two days later, things continued in much the same way, though instead of 'borrowing' food, I was taken to eat with several of the other Oracle Knights. They all seemed to understand that I wasn't really a soldier, and that I was more Sync's adopted friend than anything, and so I was treated in much the same way that a child among a group of adults usually is. I continued to train with both the sai and Evenos's Daathic artes, and slowly became more skilled. I learned a simple strike arte with the sai, and my endurance improved. I became swift and accurate in my blocks and decisively strong in my strikes.

I did encounter a problem in the first few days after Sync left- I hadn't realized it, but they used a different alphabet in that world. Luckily, Florian knew how to write, and I was able to trick him into making me a key of the letters. All I had to do was get him to write that one sentence that had every letter in it. You know, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Then I copied out a key from it that I hid folded up in my blindfold. After getting it from him, I started to work on memorizing the letters so I could read and write in both alphabets.

Between learning to fight, mastering Evenos's Daathic artes, visiting Ion and Florian, and learning their alphabet, I didn't have time to feel homesick or miss my dear cousin. I was busy almost all the time, especially when I started myself on reading the books in the cathedral's library. And I got even busier when Marina, deciding that I was advanced enough, started giving me real military training instead of just teaching me to use my sai. At first, I was tired out every day. But I rose to meet the challenge, and when I lacked motivation, Evenos, Ion, or Florian would give me the strength to try.

By the time Sync returned from his mission, I was competent enough that I could take on the less dedicated low-ranked soldiers and win. Marina had tested my resolve by ordering me to execute a traitor who had been selling secrets between the militaries of Kimlasca, Malkuth, and Daath's Oracle Knights and who everybody in a place of leadership wanted gone. I couldn't refuse, and so I killed him with a single strike.

Even having steeled myself for it, I couldn't sleep that night, even with Evenos trying to make me feel better.

But when Sync returned, he found that though he had left me as a weak kid still used to being cared for, I had become stronger. While I wasn't unrealistically improved, and most of the reason I won sparring matches was because sai were natural counters to the swords most everyone favored, I could now put up a decent fight and find my own way around the cathedral and even a good bit of the city directly surrounding it.

With Sync back, my training with Marina lasted only a short while longer, until he determined that I could handle my weapons well enough. From there, he rearranged his own schedule so that he could take over. His intentions were good, of course, and he was definintely skilled, but I soon learned that I was going to have to improve fast. Sync was an aggressive teacher who didn't seem to realize my limits or even that I had limits, and as a result the lessons with him often ended early when I got injured, either by him, by falling, or by pushing myself too hard. He always apologized, but didn't recognize how to keep it from reoccuring. Luckily for me, though, under the pressure to avoid being hurt, I was able to improve. Within a few months, I was able to block over half of Sync's incredibly fast attacks when he tested me, something I considered impressive. While I couldn't jump as high or far or run as fast as the agile God-General, I could manage to follow him and keep him in sight if he took me out into the city and ran back along the rooftops. I got strong enough that even if Sync always won our sparring matches, I wasn't an easy opponent for him. Of course, I continued to visit Ion and Florian during this time. The first few times I showed up covered in bruises from Sync's rough training, both replicas had been worried, but they learned not to be too concerned. I became more skilled at using the powers Evenos had lent me, as well, and learned two other simple artes in addition to perfecting Luminous Ray. Each one was difficult at first, and Sync was confused when for a few days at a time I would be very tired before he even started with me. Once I got the hang of them, though, they were easy to use without getting tired. My self-imposed reading lessons were the easiest, and on the days where I had been too tired to visit Florian, I had taught myself to understand Auldrant- as I had learned the world was named- and its unusual calendar system. I figured out my birthday in the system, and learned the current date. It was sometimes easy to forget where I was even from, but Evenos was there to sense when I did and remind me why I was here. Busyness kept me from missing home, and it wasn't until a while later that anything new entered my life.

One day, I was walking through the main cathedral hall on my way to the library when I noticed something unusual. A tall man in a blue Malkuth military uniform was there, two soldiers with him, and he looked quite official. His red eyes were scanning the room from behind glasses, his long light brown hair was professional in how it was brushed sleek, and I recognized him- Colonel Jade Curtiss. I decided to approach him.

"Hello, sir. Were you looking for someone?" I asked, walking over in a respectful manner.

"Yes. We're here on official business, we need to speak with Fon Master Ion. Can you, or anyone you know, arrange a meeting with him?" Jade said, looking at me. He was clearly inspecting me, and his gaze paused on my blindfold.

"I can probably arrange something. I'll go check with him, I don't think he's busy..." I said. Jade gave a nod, and I took that as a cue to bow and then scurry off. This was about the time Ion usually had tea, I figured he'd be fine with seeing an important messenger.

When I got up to Ion's room, Acheron was standing in front of the door.

"Hello, Acheron. Someone important from Malkuth wants to see Ion. Can I ask him if he's got any free time?" I said. The albino Guardian was cool in his attitude towards me, but generally tolerant and occasionally even amused by me.

"The Fon Master is sick and won't be seeing anyone, even you," Acheron said.

"...Acheron, he was just fine yesterday. Are you trying to pull something?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Go away, Jeremy," was the answer I got. Acheron was certainly acting strange... I decided to take a cue from Sync and investigate for myself. It was a short, easy walk down a flight of stairs and out to the small and now unused training field just below Ion's balcony. It was easy to get up there- a quick hop got me up onto the windowsill of the first floor, and I made my way up the wall, catching the windowsills and climbing up onto them. It was dangerous, sure, but what were they doing with Ion? I felt sure he wasn't actually sick. One last jump, and I grabbed the side of the balcony, struggling to pull myself up but managing after a minute. I knocked on the door of Ion's room.

"Jeremy? How on Auldrant did you get up here?" an incredulous Ion asked, opening the door to let me in. No, he was definitely not sick.

"I... Okay, honestly I don't even know. Lots of jumping. Ion, Acheron wouldn't let me in. Said you were sick. What's going on?" I asked.

"Mohs knows that Kimlasca and Malkuth are on the verge of war. He wants it to happen, and when he heard that a peace emissary from Malkuth arrived today and wants me to speak to King Ingobert of Kimlasca on their behalf, he ordered everyone to keep me in my room. Acheron and Anise are on his side, I can't get out of here," Ion said. He looked at me, and a smirk that didn't fit what I knew of his personality appeared on his face.

"But you, Jeremy... You promised to help me get out of here. The time is now. You know the giant frame structure that surrounds the cathedral? I'm sure they brought a Malkuth land dreadnaught, tell them that I'll assist them and that I'll be along if they'll park it under the third pillar of the frame," he said. I could tell he had a plan. "Midnight is when Acheron will leave, there will be a five minute gap to get me up to the watchtower that they dedicated to Fon Master Evenos."

"Your plan seems incredibly well thought out. How long have you been working on it...?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"All day. So you'll do it?" Ion said, cheery smile returning.

"Uh... Yeah. I'll do it. But I'm bringing someone else too, he's not Sync," I said. I had promised Florian that I'd get him out of here...

"Acceptable. Now go," Ion said. "You should prepare yourself and tell the Malkuth representatives to move their ship."

I nodded, and went back onto the balcony. I jumped down, and though I was several stories up, I was able to land with only a slight jolt that I ignored. I quickly made my way back to the cathedral, where Jade was starting to look impatient.

"Ah, you're back. Can the Fon Master meet with us?" Jade said, smirking when he saw me approach.

"He already knows what you want and would like to help you. However, there's some internal conflict within the Order, and as such, he'll come along shortly after midnight if you move your ship thing under the third pillar of the Cathedral frame," I said. Jade looked very amused.

"It seems that the Fon Master knows exactly who he's dealing with. The Tartarus will be there, you have our word," he said. "With that taken care of, we must leave. We wouldn't want to go without supplies." I nodded, and Jade and his two soldiers left. As they did, I got a sudden inspiration. Perhaps I could convince Sync to side with Ion instead? I had already planted seeds of doubt in his mind months ago when I told him that Van was the worthiest target of his vengeance. I could talk to him, and if it seemed like he wasn't going to side with us, it would be easy enough to tell him that we'd be leaving tomorrow night instead of that night.

(You're actually going to help Ion leave, aren't you? And you're going to bring Florian, I'd imagine,) Evenos said as I started walking to where I knew Sync would soon be.

"Yeah. And with a little luck, I can even turn Sync over to our side," I whispered in reply, grinning to myself.

(Good luck,) the former Fon Master said, before falling silent. I stopped in the hall, and just as I knew he would, soon Sync walked through. He started to pass me, then stopped.

"Jeremy? What are you doing over here? You're usually in the library buried in those books you love around this time," the masked God-General said, tone mildly puzzled.

"I usually am. But, Sync... Something's come up. I have to ask you, and be completely sincere. Do you still hate the Score and want to follow Van, or have you thought about what I said just shortly after we met?" I said, putting a hand on his shoulder and staring into the design on his mask.

Sync fell silent and still. He tilted his head a tiny bit, just enough that I couldn't see any of his face behind the red and gold mask.

"Jeremy, I have been thinking about it. And really, I think part of me has known you're right this whole time. But I can't act on it, I know Van would probably kill me in seconds. And if I got myself killed, you wouldn't be safe. You're the only happy thing in my life and it wouldn't be fair to you if I went after Van," Sync said, speaking hesitantly at first but moving into more natural speech as he went on.

Oh. So he had accepted what I had told him... but hidden it for my sake. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew he was mentally unstable, it would have been endearing. Either way, I could believe him.

"Sync, don't worry about that. I know a way you could completely ruin Mohs and Van's plans without coming into contact with either of them, and I could even be there with you. Does that sound like it'd be a good idea?" I said. I smiled at him, trying to appear as sincere as possible.

The masked God-General moved his head back to where I could barely see his lower face, and smiled back. He said, "Okay, yes, that sounds awesome. Screwing over both of them AND keeping you safe? Sign me up!"

"Great! Okay, just before midnight you need to go up to that tower room thing with all the windows that you have to take the transporter to. I'll join you shortly after that, and from there the plan will begin," I said.

"Just before midnight. Got it. I'll see you there," Sync said. "For now, though, I have some official crap I have to get out of the way. Later." He waved goodbye, and dashed off. I grinned, satisfied. This was certainly going well so far. I went to the library to bide time until dinner, after which it would really begin.

The time felt terribly slow passing by, but eventually it did grow late enough. My dinner was eaten hastily and without any side conversations, and after I finished, I dashed off to Sync's room. I tugged one of Sync's blankets from the pile he had given me to sleep in, bundled up my clothes in it, and trotted off through the halls to Florian's room. I passed nobody on my way there, and when I got there it seemed like the replica didn't have other guests. A knock on the door confirmed this when Florian poked his head out with a happy, though smileless, expression. It was endearing, how he cheered up only when I visited him. Asking him proved that this was the case.

"Hey, Florian. Remember how I promised to get you out of here a long time ago?" I said, grinning.

"Yeah... Of course I remember. Why?" he chirped, tilting his head. "And why are you carrying a blanket?"

"The time has come. I'm carrying this so I can hide you in it. Come on," I said. I set the blanket down and unfolded it. Florian eagerly nodded, and I arranged the clothes around him so that if I opened up the bundle, he was invisible, but he could breathe. I picked up the now much heavier bundle and started to carry it. Florian was very light for his size, luckily, and though Acheron gave me a strange look as I passed him, nobody thought to ask why I was carrying a bundle of something in a blanket up to Evenos's watchtower.

Once I got there, I set him down on the floor. He poked his head out of the bundle, peering up at me with wide green eyes. I mentally noted that he really needed a good haircut and a hot shower.

"Now what...?" he asked.

"Stay. I'll come back," I said. He nodded, and stayed in the pile of clothes and blanket as I left. At least he'd be fairly comfortable...

* * *

You know, Sync _seems_ OOC in this story, but he's totally himself. It will become clear... though not for a long time.


End file.
